Masa con Papas: - A Punch Clock Animal Story

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Your eyes grow heavy.

 

You find yourself crashing really quickly. 

 

You're in front of a window, the outside surrounded by warm clouds and a cold woods. 

 

You recognize this place immediately. It's the entrance hall to the old Judgment house.

 

You would wake up early each morning to meet your grandmother whenever she had to go out for late night work.

 

You were always worried considering the type of job she had. Though it was normally just watching out for the neighborhood, you couldn't help but worry if one day a actual creature just walked into town.

 

Not that you didn't think she could handle herself but...

 

It's a creeping thought you don't like much...

 

You can see her pass by the window in her full cloaked outfit. It's intimidating but you always thought it looked cool. 

 

She unlocks the door. You hear it creek open as she steps in. You rush toward the entrance quickly to greet her. 

 

Charon: Grandma!

 

Grandma Judgment: Morning kiddo, brought you something from work. Let me get settled in and we can talk a bit. Can you take this for me?

 

She hands you her hat. You shuffle over and put it on the little rack she always keeps it on when she isn't wearing it. Your eye catches a detail you never really thought about before, the tarot cards attached to the band around the hat. One is identical to yours.. Death. The other two are unfamiliar.

 

Charon: Hey Grandma, what's with the cards around your hat?

 

Grandma Judgment: Eh, it's not a super exciting thing. Just a little piece of decor from a long long time ago... I'll tell you that story when you're older I think. 

 

Charon: You can't tell me now?

 

Grandma Judgment: It'd be a little much to tell you now....

 

She looks at your face, a little fixated on your left eye. You blink.

 

Charon: Is something wrong?

 

Grandma Judgment: Nah. Just thinking a little. Anyway nothing too exciting happened, just a case of troublesome wild life wandering around town. We were able to shove it back into the woods fine. 

 

Charon: What was it exactly?

 

Grandma Judgment: Just a little bitty dino. They're pretty harmless.. well, to an adult anyway. You're still small enough that the thing could topple you over.

 

Charon: I could take it on if I tried.

 

Grandma Judgment: I'm sure you could take on a lot of things, doesn't mean I want you risking yourself to prove it. 

 

Charon: Wouldn't be that much of a risk.

 

Grandma Judgment: Mm... well still, I rather you be able to enjoy your time as a kid than spend the day healing in bed if something goes wrong. You only get that once you know?

 

Charon: Guess so....

 

She walked toward the kitchen and put down a box in there. She reached for the knife in the shelf

 

Grandma Judgment: Hey, you mind doing me a favor later?

 

Charon: Yeah?

 

Grandma Judgment: I know you like going to the witch's shop often. I'll give you money to pick me up a couple of demon horns.

 

Charon: Like... De'monares?

 

Grandma Judgment: Yeah. Need them for a job. 

 

Charon: I can do that. What are they for?

 

Grandma Judgment: Gonna spend a week overseas next month. Plaza, big event for knights going on there. Got invited for a panel, gonna have Uncle Virgil watch over you while all that's going on. You remember him right? The cat?

 

Charon: Yeah, he's cool I guess..

 

Grandma Judgment: You guess?

 

Charon: I mean... I'll miss you the whole time.

 

Grandma Judgment: You'll be fine. I'll remember to call every night if you’re really worried about me that much.

Charon: You promise?

 

Grandma Judgment: Yeah. I'll give you updates on stuff. It'll be 6 days, hope that's alright.

 

Charon: Mm... 

 

She cuts off the bindings on the box and slides the tag along. It's labeled "ORDER: Erichtho D. Judgment. Qt: 1  TOTAL: 6.99"

 

She opens up the packaging. It's a cheesecake. 

 

Charon: Is that the surprise?

 

Grandma Judgment: Sure is. Figure I'd bring you a treat since you wake up early all the time to keep me company. 

 

She cuts you a slice and places it on a little plate for you. She hands it to you with a fork. 

 

You wait for her to serve herself before taking a bite. It's wonderful, very rich and sweet and with a little bit of  strawberry syrup running through inside. 

 

Grandma Judgment: You like that?

 

Charon: Mmhmm! Thank you.

 

Grandma Judgment: Why don't you talk to me?

 

You ponder your words a little carefully... 

 

Charon: What do you do if you're somewhere far away, and you don't know how to get back home?

 

Grandma Judgment: Weird question but... I guess you just think about home the whole trip back, so you don't lose your way you know? Think about all the people who miss you... think about how happy everyone will be to end up back together again. Whenever I go on my trips I think about you, the town, and the old Judgment house so even when it gets hard, I got a sense that I got somewhere to return to. 

 

Charon: Even when your life's in danger?

 

Grandma Judgment: Especially. I wanna spend my final days quietly and surrounded by family. Getting done in by some punk is the last thing I'd want. Course I have to retire sooner or later I guess... practically am from the super big stuff but experienced knights get called in for all sorts of events so I'm milking that while I can.

 

She pulls out some cash from her pocket and slides it across the table toward Charon. 

 

Grandma Judgment: On a side note, can you go in early? After you're done with your slice of course. I wanna make sure I got that cleared up before I take the day off. 

 

You can't help but smile.

 

Charon: You're staying home? Like, you're not just gonna nap and go back out there?

 

Grandma Judgment: Unless there's an emergency, nope. Last night was a whole lot of nothing so I need a bit of rest you know? Don't take too long, we can watch some TV together and talk when you get back.

 

Charon: Mm! Of course!

You hurry to finish up your cheesecake. You don't get too many chances like this so you plan to make the fullest of this opportunity. You pocket the cash.

 

Charon: Anything else you want me to grab while I'm out there? 

 

Grandma Judgment: Cola. I could use a little dose of caffeine. 

 

Charon: Gotcha.

 

You start heading toward the door. 

 

Grandma Judgment: Stay safe out there alright? Love you kiddo.

 

Charon: Love you too grandma, I'll be back quick!

 

You step out and feel the nice breeze. You feel like you've been away from these woods for a good while....

 

You make a sprint for town, sticking to the cleared path the entire way. You make it to a tiny little building just on the edge of everything, the entrance labeled "Witching Accessories." The area you're in is pretty big on magic stuff and tourists passing by especially love it. 

 

Though it's usually open early, you give them the courtesy of knocking just to be sure since you can't see anyone inside through the window. 

 

The door creaks open. 

Rather than the usual bird however there's a vague mammal-like man handling the store, possibly a new employee?

 

Charon: Good morning! 

 

???: Good morning, here to pick up some uh... horns?

 

Charon: Mmhmm! How'd you know?

 

???: Just intuition I suppose... I can get you them in a minute.

 

Charon: Thank you! Are you new?

 

???: You can say that. The name is Styx. 

 

Charon: My name's Ch-

 

Styx: Charon, I'm familiar with you. You did make a pact after all. 

 

Charon: A pact?

 

Styx: The night before you got spirited away? The ghost that you summoned to inhabit that nasty little potato homunculi you made? You accepted the gift of the nameless card didn't you?

 

Charon: I... I think I did.

 

You'd been so immersed in this dream you forgot you weren't actually back home.

 

Styx: Right so... let's cut to the chase here. You and I are linked. We share access to all sorts of things. What we see, what we feel, what we know... of course my memory is a bit of a jumble right now so I gotta borrow from you a little, hope you don’t mind too much.

 

Charon: Borrowing what exactly?

 

Styx: Well for now I’ve settled on a form that’s just a little familiar and something you’ll be comfortable with all things considered. 

 

Charon: What's that supposed to mean?

 

Styx: I'm saying if you saw my true form you'd absolutely wake up in a panic and then I wouldn't be able to talk to you.

Charon: I’m not sure I get the best feeling from this.

Styx: I hooked you up with a proxy right? I can’t be too bad if I gave you the essential tools to survive this world, damn good one too. Most people don’t develop a capable proxy as fast as you did.

Charon: How do I know I can trust you.

Styx: Honest answer is you don’t.

Charon: You’re getting something out of this right?

Styx: I mean of course I am. I’m not gonna lie to you about that.

Charon: And what is that?

Styx: If we make it out of here, a free ride out of this world. My spirit’s been stuck in this hellhole for so long I just wanna get back you know?

Charon: So uh… are you…

Styx: Dead? Absolutely. The cult did me in years ago, still feels bad. If my body still exists it’s probably in a condition where I don’t know if I’d want it back.Thankfully I’m a little beyond the mortal coil like that you know?  That said, guess I’m responsible for dragging you in here too sorta. Got intercepted by something nasty…

Charon: Did you drag in the others?

Styx: I have no idea how your grandma or great great whatever got here. Like I said, intercepted. Thing that hijacked our dealings went and dragged in a bunch of people and spat them into this world and weird intervals. I don’t know where to start on how confusing this mess is… Ask away though, I’ll do my best.

Charon: I guess I just need to figure out where to begin, you just dumped a lot on me.

 

Styx: Anything, we got some time to go over things. Just keep in mind I can only answer so much. We’re on the timer of this dream after all.

 

You ponder your next questions carefully.

What do you want to ask this mystery creature?